Carmel Pine Cone, June 21, 2019
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VolumeThe 105 No. 25 CarmelOn the Internet: www.carmelpinecone.com Pine ConeJune 21-27, 2019 TRUSTED BY LOCALS AND LOVED BY VISITORS SINCE 1 9 1 5 Reviews are in: The U.S. Open was fabulous Dallas investigation By MARY SCHLEY pass for $100. “We were happy to see that the shuttle transpor- tation all over the Peninsula worked, minimizing traffic prob- details behavior but THE PLAYERS were pleased with last week’s U.S. Open lems throughout the week.” at Pebble Beach — especially Gary Woodland, who won his She said the favorable traffic conditions were the result of dismisses accusers first major by 3 strokes, completing his four rounds at 13 un- good planning by the USGA, Pebble Beach, Caltrans, Cali- der par, surpassing Tiger Woods 12-under record from 2000 fornia Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies, By MARY SCHLEY by a stroke — and by all accounts, so were a lot of people who and the community shuttles from Carmel, Pacific Grove and never even went to the tournament. N A report released Thursday that is heavily redacted in See OPEN page 14A I “I was really pleased with the shuttle service that Pebble parts — and is apparently missing nearly 100 pages — inves- Beach provided, as well as our local chamber of com- tigator Irma Moisa details numerous allegations against for- merce, and I’m really grateful to the city staff who made mer Mayor Steve Dallas, including that he groped a woman the whole event week look easy, even though I know they while she was dancing at a bar and made explicit comments worked very, very hard,” city administrator Chip Rerig on more than one occasion. said Thursday. “As far as impacts to residents, everything But none of the allegations involved anything he did while was pretty well minimized, and I’m grateful for that.” conducting city business, according to the report, and when the investigation was finished, then-city attorney Glen Moz- No traffic nightmares ingo concluded in March 2018 that none of the allegations Predictions of traffic horrors mostly failed to materi- were serious enough to expose the city to “civil or criminal alize, especially with the new roundabout at highways 1 liability.” and 68 keeping things moving at the most heavily used Nevertheless, many of the allegations are lurid or sleazy. entrance to Pebble Beach, and shuttles reducing the num- For example, one woman mentioned five encounters with ber of cars on the roads. Jenny MacMurdo, CEO of the Dallas that made her uncomfortable, including when he asked Carmel Chamber of Commerce, said the shuttles her or- about her sex life. Since no witnesses confirmed the story, ganization operated all week were even more successful Moisa said she gave more credence to Dallas’ version, that he than anticipated. asked about her “love life.” “We gave 8,000 rides total over seven days, which was PHOTO/MICHAEL TROUTMAN, DMT IMAGES But she concluded he had introduced another man to the a bit more than expected, mainly due to the caliber and same woman as a “fluffer” — someone who arouses male star power of the players this year,” MacMurdo said. The Gary Woodland won his first major when he finished 13 under at the U.S. stars for porn films — and had commented at a party about charge for the shuttles was $25 per day or a weeklong Open at Pebble Beach on Sunday. her having something on her chest that he couldn’t brush off. Bias against mayor Blood leads to man who smashed Napoli window While Moisa’s three-month investigation of nearly two dozen allegations included almost 30 interviews with Dallas By MARY SCHLEY enth Avenue, north on Lincoln Street and stopped just south and his accusers, friends and others, she dismissed many of of Ocean Avenue,” Powell said. “Due to the amount of blood, them after determining the people making the claims disliked A 21-YEAR-OLD Massachusetts man was hospitalized dispatch contacted Community Hospital of Monterey Penin- Dallas. The most egregious allegation involving the woman in and received 35 stitches in his hand but escaped prosecution sula and discovered a male subject had been admitted with a the bar was set aside because she wouldn’t disclose her identi- after shattering a large window at Vino Napoli early Sunday laceration to his left hand.” ty. Moisa also disregarded hearsay accounts because the peo- morning, according to police and business owner Rich Pepe. At the hospital, Lyons told police he hurt his hand by “trip- ple they supposedly involved didn’t speak with her directly. Cmdr. Luke Powell said police tracked down Joseph Ly- ping and falling onto a beer bottle,” Powell said. “Lyons stated The report was not made public until this week. While ons after being alerted to loud people and a possible broken that he had a lot to drink and didn’t recall any details.” Mozingo said the report was 217 pages, the redacted copy re- window at Seventh and Dolores around 2:30 a.m. June 14. But when pressed, Lyons “seemingly began to accept leased June 20 totaled 120. An officer found shattered glass, but no one who might have more responsibility for the damage, while still maintaining he In the portion of the report made public, Moisa elaborates broken the window. couldn’t recall any details.” on when the alleged harassment occurred. “But there was a fresh trail of blood that led west on Sev- Pepe said he heard about the damage and headed down to “The mayor’s purported conduct happened in his role as Vino Napoli at around 3:30 a.m. He said he learned police owner of a property management company, or customer of found the blood and tracked the man to the hospital, where his contracting services, or while in conversations with others in injuries required 35 stitches. public events or private establishments,” she said. “He was See WINDOW page 17A See DALLAS page 16A Does rainbow flag belong with Stars and Stripes? By KELLY NIX TO CELEBRATE LGBT Pride Month, the City of Pacific Grove bought rainbow flags and hoisted them on city poles along with the flags of the United States and the State of Cal- ifornia. Since early June, the pride banners have been displayed PHOTO/KERRY BELSER at P.G. City Hall, the police department, the library and the public works yard. This 8-by-12-foot window in Vino Napoli could take a month to re- place after a man broke it while drunk early Sunday morning. “To my knowledge, this is the first time that pride flags have flown at city facilities,” city manager Ben Harvey told The Pine Cone. Not everyone’s pleased, though. The rainbow flags — Supes OK small pot farms which the city is flying in place of the city flag at the police station — have annoyed some citizens, including Larry Es- outdoors in C.V., Big Sur quivel, who sent a letter to the city council this week. “I have nothing against the flying of the LGBTQ flag,” By CHRIS COUNTS Esquivel said, “but it should not be on the same pole as the United States flag. It can be on a separate pole or on the wall NEARLY THREE years after limiting the growing of of the building.” marijuana to greenhouses, the Monterey County Board of Su- Esquivel, a retired reserve Pacific Grove Fire captain and pervisors voted unanimously this week to allow the plants to police officer and Vietnam veteran, said the stars and stripes be grown outdoors in Big Sur, Carmel Valley and Cachagua “means a lot” to him and others, including military veterans. — a move that came despite warnings from law enforcement The word “united,” he said, “means all of us; race, sex, reli- that it could increase crime. gion and so on.” The vote will create a five-year pilot program to allow an Esquivel also cautioned displaying the pride flag “just to estimated 75 growers to operate on properties as small as 10 make a statement.” Doing so, he said, could open the door for PHOTO/KELLY NIX acres. If all goes according to plan, some of them will likely “NRA, KKK, religious, Confederate” and other flags to be The Pacific Grove City Council voted early this month to fly LGBT Pride See FARMS page 15A See FLAG page 15A flags at city buildings, including this one in front of the police station. Have the complete Carmel Pine Cone delivered every Thursday evening to your iPad, laptop, PC or phone. Free subscriptions available at www.carmelpinecone.com 2A The Carmel Pine Cone June 21, 2019 Sandy Claws By Lisa Crawford Watson ANIMAL COMMUNICATION It’s a wonderful life At 8 weeks, Sedge was her person’s college gradu- ation present. The Chesapeake Bay retriever was a fit- SATURDAY ting gift for the adventuresome, active-outdoors native June 22nd 1-3pm of Baltimore, who grew up on the bay. Her first job, doing outreach projects for a wellness HEATHER GREEN center, was too hard to maintain with an unruly pup- py, so she gave up the job to start “Baltimore Dog — Peace. Love. Walking.” She soon had three managers, $20 CLASS 33 dog walkers, and 250 dogs. Sedge was the mascot. Learn skills including sending “Sedge” actually refers to the color of her coat. and receiving messages. Bring Chessies come in three colors, her person said — dead pictures of pets to work with. grass, a pale yellow; sedge, a warm copper; and choc- Contact Heather to preregister at olate, a rich shade of brown.